No Day But Today
by TangoAida
Summary: AU: Meet the RENT kids of the future! postRENT & COMPLETE!
1. Birthday Wishes

Disclaimer – I own nothing of RENT. Every single character belongs to the wonderful Jonathon Larson (RIP). I can say that I own my original characters - aka the kids.

**_Italics_** are thoughts, songs and flashbacks.

A/N: I have been reading some future RENT kids fics, so I decided to write one of my own.

Genre: Drama/General

Rating: T

Summary – AU: Meet the RENT kids of the future!

No Day But Today!  
By TangoAida

* * *

CHAPTER ONE

(chapter title - Birthday Wishes)

List of Kids:

Julie 'Jules' Hope Davis (13) – Roger and Mimi's daughter. Looks exactly like Roger.

Eileen Sonya Collins (13) – Collins' daughter and Jules' best friend. Light-skinned, blue eyes and mousy-brown shoulder length hair.

Jonathon Ethan Cohen (13) – Mark's son. Looks exactly like Mark.

Hannah Elizabeth and Anna Marie Johnson-Jefferson (12) – Maureen and Joanne's twin daughters. Hannah looks like Maureen while Anna looks like Joanne.

Jacob Edmund Coffin (13) – Benny and Alison's son. Acts and looks exactly like Benny.

* * *

"June 23rd, 2006, Twelve-thirty PM Eastern Standard Time. Zoom in on my family- mainly Jules Davis." Thirteen-year-old John Cohen said into his dad's camera. He was watching his friend, Jules Davis, open her presents. Roger, her dad, was standing against a back wall, far away from the goings-on. Mark, John's dad, went over to his best friend, just as Jules gasped – holding up her latest present. 

"C'mon Rog. It's Jules' birthday. I'm sure she doesn't want you to be depressed right now." Mark told his roommate and best friend. Ever since Mimi died of AIDS the year before, he hasn't been the same.

"Mark! Why can't you just leave me the hell alone?" Roger yelled, walking to his room and slamming the door. The room got very quiet.

"Mark? Is dad okay?" Jules asked. Mark just stared at her and sighed.

"I'll take that as a 'maybe'." Hannah said, brushing her long reddish-brown hair over her shoulder. Mark looked at her and sighed again.

"Two sighs in a row – that can't be good." Collins said, smiling.

"I'll go talk to him." Jules volunteered, getting up from the couch and walking to Roger's room. While she's talking with her dad, Mark, Joanne, Maureen, Hannah, John and Eileen clean up the living area while Collins and Anna put the food away in the fridge.

A couple minutes later, Roger and Jules emerge from Roger's room. Jules has tears streaming down her cheeks while Roger has tears in his eyes.

"Everything okay?" Eileen asked her best friend. Jules nodded and hugged her. Eileen hugged her back and smiled slightly.

"Everything will be okay, Julie-Chica. You'll see." Eileen reassured her friend. Jules broke out of the hug and slumped down on the couch. Eileen sat on one side of her while John sat on the other.

"Wanna watch a movie?" John asked.

"Sure." Jules answered, going to the movie collection as Hannah, Anna, Mark, Roger, Maureen, Joanne and Collins make their way over.

"How about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?" Jules suggested.

"Sounds good." Everyone said in unison. She smiled and popped the movie into the DVD player and pressed 'play' on the remote. She then walked over to the couch and sat next to Eileen and John.

"Happy birthday baby girl." Roger whispered to his daughter. Jules smiled and whispered that she loved him back to him.

Halfway into the movie, Maureen, Joanne, Hannah and Anna leave to go home.

"Thanks for coming ladies." Jules thanked them.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. Happy birthday." Joanne said as she and her girls walk out the door. A short while later, Collins and Eileen leave to go to their loft – which is right below Roger, Mark, Jules and John's. Jules turns off the movie and yawns.

"Is the birthday girl tired?" John asked playfully. Jules stuck her tongue out playfully at him and went to hug Mark, Roger and John before heading to her room.

"Sleep well, baby." Roger told her.

"I will, dad." Jules responded, heading into her room. Once inside, she put on her pajamas, brushed her teeth and took out her guitar. She only knew one song and she sang it every night before she went to bed. Taking out her guitar from its case, she sat cross-legged on her bed and strummed a gentle chord:

"_Your eyes_  
_As we said our goodbyes_  
_Can't get them out of my mind_  
_And I find I can't hide_  
_From your eyes_  
_The ones that took me by surprise_  
_The night you came into my life_  
_Where there's moonlight I see your eyes_  
_How'd I let you slip away_  
_When I'm longing so to hold you_  
_Now I'd die for one more day_  
'_Cause there's something _  
_I should have told you_  
_Yes, there's something_  
_I should have told you_  
_When I looked into your eyes_  
_Why does distance make us wise?_  
_You were the song all along_  
_And before this song dies_  
_I should tell you I should tell you_  
_I have always loved you_  
_You can see it in my eyes."

* * *

_

Meanwhile, downstairs, Collins and his daughter, Eileen were getting ready for bed. Collins would never forget the day he found Eileen.

_Collins was walking home from visiting Angel's grave when he heard a soft crying sound. It was coming from an alleyway - right where he and Angel had first met. The crying grew louder as Collins made his way down the alleyway. When he finally reached where the crying was coming from, he saw a basket with the most beautiful baby wrapped in a pink blanket. Looking around to see who would abandon this little baby, he didn't see anyone, so he picked up the basket and carried it to the loft._

"_Hello?" Collins called as he stepped inside. Mark sleepily came out of his room, just as Roger and a very pregnant Mimi came out of theirs. John, Mark's two-year-old son, looked at the tiny baby as Collins took it out of the basket._

"_Is it a boy or a girl?" Roger inquired, stepping next to Collins._

"_Girl." Collins answered, smiling. _

"_What's her name?" Mimi asked sleepily._

"_What's your middle name, Meems?" Collins asked, grinning._

"_Eileen. Why?"_

"_That's what I'm going to name her - Eileen Sonya Collins." Collins told his tired friends. The baby yawned and fell asleep in Collins' arms._

_Over the next few weeks, Joanne helped Collins fill out paperwork and also helped him fight for custody of little Eileen. In June of 2002, little Eileen was now part of the family - along with some new little ones - Hannah and Anna - Maureen and Joanne's twin girls. Mimi delivered Julie Hope Davis a week later. Roger insisted on calling Julie 'Jules.' Mimi just laughed and agreed._

Collins shook out of his flashback and went to check on Eileen - she was fast asleep, her favorite instrumental CD playing in the background. He smiled and closed the door - happy that she was his daughter.


	2. Fun All Day Long

CHAPTER TWO  
(chapter title - Fun All Day Long)

The next day, the kids were outside playing tag - John was "it". He ran from one person to the next - narrowly missing them. The adults were inside, talking. Just then, someone cleared their throat. The kids stopped playing as a boy around thirteen came up to them. He wore a plain brown sweater, slacks and dress shoes.

"Hi." John greeted the kid. The boy just rolled his eyes and stood out of their way.

"Go ahead and continue playing your game." He told them.

"You sure you don't wanna play, dude?" John asked.

"My name's not 'dude'." He informed them.

"What is your name, then?" Eileen inquired.

"Jacob Coffin." He said.

"Eileen Collins."

"Jonathon Cohen - John for short."

"Hannah Johnson - Jefferson."

"Anna Johnson - Jefferson."

"Julie Davis - call me Jules."

"How old are you, Jake?" John asked.

"It's _Jacob _and I'm thirteen."

"Really? Jules, Eileen and I are thirteen, too." John told him, smiling.

"What school do you go to?" Eileen asked, coming closer to Jacob.

"St. Catherine's Private School." Jacob told them matter-of-factly.

"Oh. We - Jules, Eileen and I go to Mount Vernon Junior High. Hannah and Anna go to Mount Vernon Elementary School." John informed Jacob.

"That's nice." Jacob said, bored.

"We were wondering if you wanted to play football with us. We need one more person to make the teams even." Jules said, picking up a football.

"No thank you. I really must be going." Jacob said, heading in the opposite direction.

"What a jerk wad! He didn't even say bye!" Anna commented as soon as Jacob was out of earshot.

"I know. He seems like a total jerk." Jules chimed in.

"Jules! Hannah! Anna! Eileen! Time to get ready to go horseback riding!" Joanne called. The girls smiled at each other and headed inside to change into riding clothes. John sighed and sat down next to Roger on the couch. Roger smiled at him and picked up his guitar.

"Bye guys! We'll be back later!" Jules called as she headed out the door. About a month ago, Collins, Joanne, Maureen, Mark and Roger had pitched in and gotten horseback riding lessons for Jules, Hannah, Anna and Eileen.

* * *

At the stable, Jules instantly went to Countess' stall and looked at the beautiful chestnut mare. Eileen, Anna and Hannah had gone to get their horses - Oreo, Cookie and Peanut Butter, ready to ride. Jules quickly got Countess' saddle and bridle on her and led her to the arena. There, she adjusted her stirrups, put on her helmet, checked her girth and mounted. She walked Countess in a circle at a walk until Eileen came walking Oreo to the arena. Oreo totally lived up to his name - he was a black and white paint gelding. He was a total sweetheart, too. Eileen smiled as she led Oreo into the arena and walked over to Jules.

"Hey Chica! Como estas?" Eileen asked in Spanish. Jules smiled and tightened Countess' reins.

"I'm fine, girl. Thanks for asking." Jules told her.

"Cookie! Whoa!" Anna commanded the pony. Since the twins were small for their age, they had been assigned to ponies. Cookie was stubborn and didn't listen unless you spoke to her firmly. The cream colored Welsh Pony pawed the ground as Anna grabbed a crop and mounted the pony. Hannah, Peanut Butter and Sara, the riding instructor, walked into the arena. Hannah walked Peanut Butter next to the ramp so that she could get on him - he was a dark brown Polo Pony. Sara walked into the middle of the arena. Today, she was wearing a light blue West Side Story t-shirt, cream-colored riding breeches and black knee-high rubber boots.

"Okay riders, walk your horses and ponies." She said as her black Arabian gelding, Fiyero, was led into the arena by her daughter, Hallie. Sara smiled and mounted Fiyero. She loved to ride with her students - no matter what they were doing. Hallie exited the arena and watched from the fence that surrounded the arena.

"Trot please girls!" Sara said, kissing Fiyero into a trot. The beautiful Arabian instantly picked up the trot. Once Jules was in the trot, she posted - remembering what Sara had told her - rise and fall with the leg on the wall.

* * *

After the lesson, Joanne drove the girls back to the loft - except for Anna and Hannah - she was taking them and Maureen back to their house in Greenwich Village.

"Hey girls! How was the lesson?" Roger asked, setting his guitar down.

"Great! I rode a horse named Countess and Eileen rode a horse named Oreo." Jules told her dad, smiling. Eileen had gone to the loft below to change into different clothes. Jules decided to take a shower and change. John and Mark were already setting the table for supper.

As Mark set the table, his mind went back to the day that John was born. He would never forget it as long as he lived.

"_OH GOD THIS HURTS!" Dianne, Mark's wife at the time, screamed. Mark held Dianne's hand as she pushed her baby into the world. She had been in labor for at least twenty hours straight. He kissed the top of her head as she continued to squeeze the life out of his hand. _

"_You're doing great, honey. Almost there." Mark squeaked._

"_Mark David Cohen! You could say something other than that!" she yelled at him._

"_Dianne, there's no need to yell at me!" Mark shot back. Dianne snorted and rolled her eyes._

"_The baby's almost here. I just need you to push hard one last time." The doctor said gently._

"_This is all your fault, you know." Dianne growled at Mark. Mark sighed and squeezed his wife's hand harder._

_A couple minutes later, the baby was out. They decided to name him Jonathon Ethan Cohen. Shortly after John was born, Dianne died of massive blood loss. _

"_How is everything?" Roger asked, walking into the room with a very pregnant Mimi. _

"_The baby made it, but Dianne didn't." Mark told his friends, tears streaming down his face._

"_I'm so sorry, Mark." Mimi said, carefully hugging him. Mark hugged her back, but pulled away as a nurse placed a screaming Jonathon into Mark's arms. Roger and Mimi looked over Mark's shoulder at the screaming baby._

"_Mark! Do something!" Mimi told him, frantically. Roger shot a glance at his wife and gently took the baby from Mark's arms. _

"_Shh, it's okay, little guy. Calm down. Shh." Roger soothed. Jonathon calmed down a bit, so Roger carefully handed him back to Mark. Mark smiled at his friend and went back to the delivery room. Dianne's body had been removed from the room. Mark felt the sting of tears in his eyes, but he didn't cry. She hadn't loved him, but he had loved her - ever since he had laid eyes on her at Buzz Line. Now she was gone and he had to raise his son on his own._

"Dad? You okay?" John asked, startling Mark out of his flashback.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Mark told him, shaking his head. John shrugged his shoulders and went to sit on the couch with Roger. _I want to tell him, but I can't. Not now, anyway _Mark thought to himself.


	3. Trials and Tribulations

CHAPTER THREE  
(chapter title - Trials and Tribulations)

"I can't believe school is starting in two weeks!" Jules whined. Hannah, Anna and Eileen nodded. It was two months later and the girls were at the mall - Joanne and Maureen were getting the girls ice cream while they looked at back to school clothes.

"Are you going to do the school plays, Chica?" Eileen asked. Jules looked at her best friend, tears in her eyes. She had been in lead in the school play when she had found out her mom had died.

_It was intermission during the winter play Romeo and Juliet. Jules stepped into the room off of the stage to change into her outfit for the second act when she saw her father, Mark, Collins, Joanne and Maureen crying._

"_What's wrong?" Jules asked, walking over to them. Roger looked at Mark, tears streaming down his cheeks. Jules looked behind her to see that Eileen, John, Hannah and Anna had come into the room all ready dressed for the second act._

"_What's going on?" John inquired, adjusting his sword hilt. Roger took a deep breath, blinking tears back._

"_Mimi died today from a cold that turned into a virus." Roger told the group of kids. Jules shook her head and cried. Eileen pulled her friend into a hug - tears streaming down her cheeks._

"_When did she die?" John asked, wiping tears off his cheeks._

"_One thirty this afternoon." Joanne piped up, her face covered in tears. Maureen hugged her lover, crying._

"_Five minutes to curtain!" the theatre director called. Jules sobbed into Eileen's shirt. Eileen stroked her hair and whispered comforting words in Spanish._

"_Mom." Jules whispered, her voice shaking. Everything went silent - except for the sounds of sobbing, sniffling and hiccoughs._

"_Two minutes!" the theatre director called again. Jules pulled out of Eileen's hug and went to a far corner of the room so that she could change. Mark, Roger, Collins, Joanne and Maureen went back to their seats, crying. _

"_You gonna be okay, Chica?" Eileen asked, slipping the dress over Jules' head._

"_I don't know, Eileen." Jules told her friend. Eileen zipped up the back of Jules' dress in silence._

"_Do you want to continue on with the play, Jules?" John asked, making his way over to where Eileen and Jules were. Jules nodded her head and swept her dirty blond hair into a ponytail. Eileen took the ponytail out and twisted the hair into a French knot._

"Jules? You okay?" Hannah asked, putting a hand on Jules' arm. Jules found herself in a mall with her three friends - not in the dressing room of a theatre, crying.

"Yeah. I was just having a flashback." Jules explained quickly. Looking at a pair of bright orange sandals, she made a face. Anna smiled as Joanne and Maureen waved from a bench outside of the store.

"I'm gonna go sit with Joanne and Maureen. I need a break from shopping." Jules told her friends quickly, exiting the store and sat down next to Joanne.

"Hey girlfriend. Here are your two scoops of Chocolate Blast ice cream." Joanne smiled and handed Jules her ice cream.

"Thanks." Jules said quietly, taking the ice cream from Joanne and taking a small bite.

"You find anything you want?" Maureen asked, smiling. Jules shook her head and sighed.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Joanne inquired. Jules blinked the tears out of her eyes and shook her head again. Joanne pushed back Jules' bangs and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey moms!" Hannah greeted Joanne and Maureen. Eileen and Anna were still in the store.

"Hey mini-me!" Maureen teased as Hannah sat next to her. Hannah rolled her eyes as Maureen handed her a bowl of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.

"Jules, you okay? You look like you're about to cry." Hannah pointed out.

"I'm fine, Hannah." Jules whispered.

"Okay. Whatever you say." Hannah took a bite of her ice cream and smiled.

"Chicas!" Eileen called out as she walked towards them, a small brown bag in her arms, Anna right behind her.

"Yummy! Ice cream!" Anna sat down in between Maureen and Hannah as Eileen sat down in between Joanne and Jules. Joanne handed Eileen a bowl of Strawberry Starburst ice cream as Maureen handed Anna a bowl of Moose Tracks ice cream.

"We ready to go?" Maureen asked. The girls nodded and stood up, taking their ice creams with them. Joanne and Maureen walked behind the girls as Hannah, Anna and Eileen linked arms. Jules shook her head and went to walk with Joanne and Maureen.

"You okay, Jules?" Maureen questioned as Jules walked beside them.

"I was just thinking about my mom." Jules told them, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Girls! Wait up!" Joanne called to them as Jules and Maureen went to sit on a bench. Maureen hugged Jules as she buried her face in Maureen's shirt.

"What's going on with Jules?" Eileen asked.

"She's just sad, that's all girls." Joanne told the girls as they came over to where Jules and Maureen were sitting.

"Mimi died a year ago today." Maureen whispered, stroking Jules' hair.

"I - I - I w-wanna g-g-go h-home n-n-now." Jules sobbed. Maureen nodded and rubbed Jules' back. Jules stood up and wiped her tears away with the Kleenex that Maureen had let her use. Together the two adults and the four girls made their way out of the mall and to the car.

* * *

Back at the loft, Collins, John and Mark were watching TV while Roger gently strummed his guitar. Every once in a while, Roger would write something down on the notebook in front of him.

"Hey guys! We're back!" Maureen called, stepping into the loft. Jules immeadtely ran to her room and slammed the door.

"Is Jules okay?" the guys asked in unison. Maureen shrugged her shoulders and went to the tiny kitchen to make tea for the adults and lemonade for the kids.

"I'm going to go check on Jules." Roger said, his tone sounded concerned.

"Rog, just leave her alone. She'll come out when she wants to." Collins told his friend. Roger opened his mouth to protest just as Collins let out a cough. Eileen rushed to her dad's side and handed him his inhaler. Collins shook his head, coughed harder and pointed towards the kitchen. Eileen nodded and went to the kitchen to get him some water. She filled a glass halfway with water and brought it back to Collins.

"Thanks baby girl." Collins croaked, taking the water from Eileen. She kissed the top of his head and sat next to him. Meanwhile, Maureen was getting a flashback from when she and Joanne had gone online to find a donor so that she could have a baby. Ever since she and Joanne had gotten married, they had always wanted a child - but they got lucky and had Anna and Hannah.

"_Pookie! Come quick!" Maureen called from the living area. Joanne nearly jumped out of her skin when Maureen had called her pet name. She put down her book and ran towards the living area. There was Maureen, sitting in front of the computer, looking at a sperm donor's website._

"_Oh God, Maureen. Not tonight!" Joanne complained._

"_You didn't even look." Maureen told her, turning around in the computer chair. Joanne sighed and looked over Maureen's shoulder. Reading a few sentences, Joanne stood straight up and walked away, Maureen's whining voice calling to her._

"_What the hell was that for?" Maureen asked, barging into Joanne's room._

"_What?" Joanne asked, buttoning up her pajama top._

"_You know what the hell I mean, Joanne Marie!" Maureen shouted._

"_Maureen! Please keep your voice down!" Joanne hissed, rubbing her temples and sitting down upon her bed._

"_Why didn't you look?" Maureen asked after a while._

"_What?" _

"_Why didn't you look?" Maureen repeated._

"_You know how I feel about those websites, Honeybear." Joanne told her. Maureen rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest._

"_Who would you rather have kids with - a complete stranger or Mark?" Maureen asked._

"_Come again?" Joanne raised an eyebrow._

"_Pookie, you know what I'm talking about." Maureen was now sitting on the bed, opposite Joanne._

"_No, I don't." Joanne picked up a book and opened it to where she last left off._

"_Please don't ignore me, Joanne. This is important!" Maureen whined. Joanne rolled her eyes and set her book down._

"_You're willing to get sperm from Mark even though he's married to Breanne?" Maureen asked as soon as she had Joanne's attention._

"_Her name's Dianne." Joanne corrected her. "And about Mark, I dunno…" her voice trailed off as Maureen flashed her a puppy dog pout._

"_Okay, okay! We'll call him, but in the morning! He, Dianne and the rest of the world are sleeping." Joanne kissed Maureen's forehead as Maureen climbed in next to her._

Maureen shook her head and handed the adults their tea and the kids their lemonade.

"I'm gonna take dad home. Bye all!" Eileen helped Collins up and together, the two of them went to the loft below Mark, John, Roger and Jules'.

"I hope Collins is gonna be okay." Roger commented as he sipped his tea. Anna sat next to him and hugged him. Roger smiled and hugged her back.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, Uncle Roger." Anna told him, smiling. Roger smiled slightly and took a sip of his tea. Jules still hadn't come out of her room when Joanne, Maureen, Hannah and Anna left twenty minutes later.

"I'll check on her." John volunteered as Roger and Mark cleaned up.

"Thanks John." Mark smiled at his son. John went to Jules' room and knocked on the door.

"GO AWAY!" she yelled.

"Jules, can I come in, please? My dad, your dad and I are really worried about you." John told her. He heard Jules come to the door and unlock it. He stepped back as the door opened and Jules open the door - tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Are you okay, Jules?" John asked as he came into Jules' room. She shrugged her shoulders and sat down on her bed. John sat down next to her and hugged her. She backed away and stood up. She walked over to her desk, opened a drawer and took out a small photo album. Walking back to the bed, she sat down next to John and showed him the photo album.

"Wow! Aunt Mimi is really beautiful." John commented, opening the photo album to the first page. The photo was of Mimi and Roger, sitting on a bed, smiling at the camera. Roger was sitting behind her, both his hands on Mimi's belly. She was leaning back against him, her head on his shoulder.

"They both look so happy." Jules said after a while. She had been lucky when she was born - both her parents were both HIV, and somehow, she had managed not to get HIV.

"I know." John sighed, looking at the photo album. As he flipped through it, two pictures of Angel and Benny came out of the album.

"Who're they?" John asked, picking up the picture of Angel.

"That's Angel - mom's best friend. She died way before we were born." Jules told him. Picking up the picture of Benny, she crumpled it in her hands and threw it away.

"What did you do that for?" John inquired, going to the garbage can and fished out the picture of Benny. He uncrumpled the picture and put it on Jules' bed.

"That's Jacob's dad - Benjamin Coffin III. Benny and our family never got along, although he did pay for Angel's funeral." Jules explained. She got up again and went to get her guitar. John had never heard her play and was pleased that she was going to play for him.

"I only know one song. Dad taught it to me when I was a baby. It was a song that he wrote for mom just before she died. It's called Your Eyes." Jules said, placing the guitar on her lap and strummed a gentle tune. As she played, John heard the door open and saw Roger and Mark enter the room. Mark had his camera out and was filming Jules playing. John looked from where his dad and Roger stood to Jules and back again, a confused look on his face. He saw Roger's eyes fill with tears as Jules sang.

"_. . . I should tell you I should tell you  
I have always loved you  
You can see it in my eyes._" Jules finished, holding the last note, just as her dad let out a loud sob. Jules instantly put the guitar down and ordered everyone out of her room. Once everyone was out, she slammed the door and didn't come out for the rest of the evening.


	4. Back to School

CHAPTER FOUR  
(chapter title - Back to School)

_Here we go, first day of school _Jules thought to herself, adjusting her teal backpack so that it was snug on her shoulders. She was wearing a knee-length denim skirt, a blue t-shirt and a denim jacket. On her feet were brown ankle-high cowboy boots. Taking in a deep breath, she made her way up the stairs of Mount Vernon Junior High and entered the common area.

"Jules! Over here!" John called, jumping up and down to get her attention. She smiled and went over to where John and Eileen were standing near a row of lockers. Abi, Jules' friend from Drama Club, came over to where the three of them were standing. Eileen and John had never gotten along with Abi, but Jules did and that's what mattered.

"Hey guys." Abi greeted them, tossing her long strawberry-blonde hair over her shoulder and played with one of the key chains on her backpack. John and Eileen muttered hi and compared schedules with each other.

"We have the same PE, lunch, math and English classes." Jules told her friends.

"Yay chica! Both you and I have the same Spanish class this year!" Eileen exclaimed.

"John, both you and I have the same choir, drama and history classes." Jules told him, smiling.

"At least we have most of our classes together." Jules said, looking at her friends.

"Well, it looks like I'm not welcome here, so I'm gonna go." With that, Abi turned on her heel and walked away. Before Jules could open her mouth to call Abi back, the bell for first period rang. Jules headed to study hall while Eileen headed to biology. John went to the office where he worked as an office aide.

* * *

"Thank goodness it's lunchtime!" Jules sighed as she sat down on a bench in the large cafeteria. John nodded and sat down next to her. Eileen sat down on the other side of Jules and unwrapped her taco. Jules just played with her macaroni and cheese. 

"What do you guys think of Ms. Hanson? Pretty cool, huh?" John asked, taking a bite of his burger. Jules shrugged her shoulders and continued to play with her macaroni and cheese.

"She's awesome! She's the best English teacher in the world!" Eileen answered, smiling. John smiled back just as Jules got up and threw her lunch away. Walking back to the table, she picked up her backpack and headed to an empty practice room in the music wing. Closing and locking the door, she sat at the piano and played Moonlight Sonata. She was on her favorite part when someone knocked on the door. Sighing, she got up from the piano bench and went to answer the door. Opening the door, she saw that it was a boy from her choir class - Danny.

"Hi, Jules." he greeted her.

"Danny, I really don't feel like talking right now." Jules told him.

"I just came to tell you that the bell for fourth period rang about two minutes ago." Danny said, coming into the practice room.

"Damn!" Jules quickly gathered her backpack and sprinted to the language wing. She slipped into her seat next to Eileen just as the final bell rang for class to begin.

"Where were you?" Eileen asked as Jules took out her Spanish book.

"I - was - in - one - of - the - practice - rooms - in - the - music - wing." Jules panted. Eileen smiled slightly as Senorita Renderous called role.

"Collins, Eileen?" the teacher called.

"Here!" Eileen raised her hand.

"Davis, Julie?" Senorita Renderous called again.

"Here." Jules said half-heartedly. She smiled and continued to call role. She was just about to call on the last student in the class, when an office aide handed a note to the teacher.

"Julie Davis and Eileen Collins, you're needed in the office." Renderous told the girls. Jules and Eileen exchanged confused looks as they gathered their backpacks and headed out the door. John was standing outside the door, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"What's wrong, John?" Jules asked.

"It's Uncle Collins - he's in the hospital." John sobbed. Jules turned to Eileen to see her best friend's eyes well up with tears as the three of them walked to the office. Jules put an arm around Eileen's shoulders and tried to hold back her tears, but she couldn't. Collins had been in her life for as long as she could remember.


	5. One Bites the Dust

CHAPTER FIVE

(chapter title - One Bites the Dust)

Joanne and Maureen pulled up to the middle school driveway in a red van. Maureen was in the front seat while Hannah and Anna rode in the back. Jules sat in the way back with John and Eileen. Eileen cried all the way to the hospital. Everyone did the best they could to cheer her up, but nothing worked - she just cried louder.

After what seemed like an eternity, Joanne pulled in the hospital parking lot. Hannah, Anna, John, Jules and Eileen followed Joanne and Maureen like a flock of ducklings. John and Jules walked with Eileen to the hospital. When they entered, Roger and Mark were there, waiting for them. Eileen went over to them and sat in a hospital chair near Roger. His eyes welled up with tears as Jules sat down next to Eileen on one side and Roger on the other. It was silent except for the sound of people sobbing. On Eileen's other side, Joanne was stroking her hair and rubbing her back.

"Is Eileen Collins here?" a nurse asked a short while later. Eileen nodded and stood up.

"Come with me, please." the nurse told her as she came closer. Looking over her shoulder longingly, she followed the nurse down a hallway. She kept her eyes cast downward as she followed the nurse. She stopped and Eileen looked up. They were standing outside a room - room 1123.

"You can go in now. He's been asking where his baby girl was all day." the nurse smiled as Eileen entered the room. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself as to what kind of condition her dad was in.

"Come in, baby girl. I won't bite." Collins croaked, making Eileen jump. She walked-ran to her dad's side and sat in the chair next to his bed.

"How are you feeling, dad?" she asked, taking one of his hands in hers.

"I've been better, trust me." he smiled, coughed and weakly squeezed Eileen's hand. After a while, he added, "pretty soon I'll be with your aunts Angel and Mimi."

"Dad! Don't talk like that! What about the people who love you - your family - especially me?" Eileen asked, trying not to cry. To try to get his mind off of things, she asked, "have Uncle Roger and Uncle Mark been in to see you?" Collins closed his eyes and smiled - which meant 'yes'. Eileen smiled and told Collins about her first day of school so far, watching his heart monitor out of the corner of her eye. Collins drew in a small breath and put his head on the pillow just as Roger walked into the room, tears in his eyes.

"How is he?" Roger asked, coming over and sitting next to Eileen. Eileen bit her lower lip and shook her head. Roger drew her close and hugged her. Eileen heard the heart monitor beeping get slower and slower. _No! Oh God! Not now! Please let Papa live _Eileen thought and prayed to herself. Roger clearing his throat made Eileen look up at him - his face was tear-streaked.

"Collins said that if anything bad were to happen to him, that you would live with Mark, John, Jules and I." Roger told her, blinking away new tears. Eileen nodded and hugged Roger tighter. Suddenly, the line on the heart monitor went straight. Eileen let out a gasping sob and cried into Roger's shirt just as Mark, John, Maureen and Joanne came into the room. The look on Roger's face and Eileen's sobbing told the group everything.

"I'll go get Jules, Hannah and Anna." Mark volunteered, tears streaming down his cheeks. Maureen and Joanne nodded as John went to Eileen's side and stood next to her. Eileen managed to push herself away from Roger after a few minutes of crying into his shirt.

"If it's no trouble, may I have some time alone with my dad, please?" Eileen asked. Everyone nodded and exited the room just as Jules, Hannah and Anna came to the room, followed by Mark.

"Just come out when you're ready, okay Eileen." Roger said, blowing his nose. Eileen nodded as he exited the room.

"What's going on?" Mark asked as the group exited the room and walked back to the waiting room.

"Eileen just wants some time alone with Collins." Roger explained, sitting down in a chair far away from the others. Jules sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Roger kissed the top of her head and stroked her hair. Jules sniffled and tried not to cry.

"Jules, you can cry. It's okay." Roger told her, hugging her tightly. Jules nodded and let out a sob. The waiting room was quiet - except for the sounds of people sobbing and crying.

"_In truths that she learned  
Or in times that he cried  
In bridges he burned  
Or the way that she_…" Jules sang softly, her voice cracking when she reached her favorite part of the song - the part that Collins always sang. Roger rubbed her back, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Eileen exited her dad's hospital room a few minutes later and made her way to the waiting room where her family was waiting. Taking in a deep breath, she walked over and sat down next to Jules. Jules hugged her best friend as Eileen cried into her shirt.

"Is there anything we can do, Eileen?" Mark asked, walking over to her. She shook her head and continued to cry.

Twenty minutes later, the group decided that they would go home. Eileen was going to be spending the night with Jules, Mark, Roger and John, so she was happy about that. Unlocking the door to her and Collins' loft, she made her way to her room and put some clothes in a brown paper bag and carried the bag up to the loft above hers. Climbing the stairs, she wiped the tears away from her face - she couldn't believe that her dad just died right in front of her. Mark had explained on the way home that he had a really bad asthma attack and was rushed to the hospital. Eileen had wanted to believe him, but she didn't know what to think.

She knocked on the door to Jules, Roger, Mark and John's loft and waited for someone to open the door. Jules answered and let her friend inside. Walking into the loft, she saw Benny, his wife Alison and their son, Jacob, sitting on the couch, talking quietly with Roger, Mark, Joanne and Maureen.

"Party's in my room. C'mon." Jules whispered, putting a finger to her lips and walked on tiptoe to her room. Eileen followed her, looking occasionally at the Coffin family. Roger nodded a lot as Benny talked to him. Joanne and Maureen were sitting together on the floor in front of Roger. Mark was standing behind where Roger was sitting, arms folded across his chest.

"Dad ordered us a pizza and Uncle Roger brought a small TV in so that we could watch movies. Aunts Joanne and Maureen rented us some movies - Corpse Bride,Phantom of the Opera, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story and Sky High." John told Eileen as she walked into Jules' room. Eileen smiled - she knew that Joanne and Maureen had picked those movies because they were some of her favorites.

"Which one do you want to watch first?" Jules asked, flopping down on her beanbag chair and hugging her stuffed giraffe, Twiggy, to her chest. Eileen sat down on the floor next to her as John, Hannah and Anna sat on the bed.

"Hmm, how about Corpse Bride?" Eileen suggested. Jules smiled and put the DVD in the DVD player and pressed 'play' on the remote. She skipped the previews and went directly to the menu. Jules pressed 'play' again and this time, the movie started.

As they watched the movie, Jacob entered the room and stood in the back, arms folded across his chest. He stood there for a minute, watching the movie, when Benny came and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. Jacob looked at his dad and followed him out of the room.

"We are very sorry for the loss of Collins. Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help." Alison was telling Roger as she, Benny and Jacob left.

"I can't think of anything, but if you talk to his daughter, Eileen, I'm sure she'll tell you what you can do." Roger told them, grimly. Eileen had come out of the room at the time that Roger had said her name. She walked over to Alison and smiled slightly at her.

"Is there anything we can do for you, Eileen?" Alison asked. Eileen shook her head and went to the kitchen to get some Coke for her, Jules and John and Sprite for Hannah and Anna. Alison sighed and followed her husband and son out of the loft. Roger closed the door behind them.

"What was that about, Uncle Roger?" Eileen asked, getting the Coke and Sprite bottles out of the fridge.

"They were just wondering about when the memorial service was going to be and things like that. Nothing for you to worry about." Roger explained, going over to her and pouring the Sprite for Hannah and Anna.

"I see." Eileen looked up at her uncle - he had tears in his eyes and had tear streaks on his face.

"So, what movie are you watching?" Roger asked, brushing tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Corpse Bride. It's pretty funny so far." Eileen told him, smiling slightly. Roger smiled back and helped her carry drinks back to Jules' room. Looking around, she didn't see Mark, Joanne or Maureen anywhere.

"Uncle Roger, where are Uncle Mark, Aunt Joanne and Aunt Maureen?" Eileen asked, walking into Jules' room.

"Mark's in his room and Joanne and Maureen went for a walk." Roger answered her, handing the Sprites to Jules and John. Jules laughed and handed her Sprite to Anna while John handed his to Hannah.

"I'll be in my room if you guys need anything, okay?" Roger told them, kissing the top of Jules' head. They nodded and un-paused the movie.

Roger walked to his room, closed the door and sat upon the bed. Getting his guitar out from its case, he placed it on his lap and strummed Musetta's Waltz a bit before playing some songs he had written for Mimi and Jules. He was playing at the Life Café next month and he wanted to get a fresh start on some new songs. At that moment, he was working on a song for Mark to sing at Collins' funeral.

"_How did we get here?  
How the hell…  
Pan left - close on the steeple of the church  
How did I get here?  
How the hell…  
Christmas, Christmas Eve - last year  
How could a night so frozen  
Be so scalding hot?  
How could a morning this mild  
Be so raw?  
Why are entire years strewn  
On the cutting room floor of memory  
When single frames from one magic night  
Forever flicker in close-up  
On the 3-D Imax of my mind  
That's poetic, that's pathetic  
Why did Mimi knock on  
Roger's door  
And Collins choose that phone booth  
Back where Angel set up his drums?  
Why did Maureen's equipment break down?  
Why am I the witness?  
And when I capture it on film  
Will it mean that it's the end  
And I'm alone?_" Roger sang just as Mark walked in. He sat down next to Roger and listened to him play the song.

"That's really nice, Rog. Who's it for?" Mark asked.

"It's for you, Mark. I want you to sing it at Collins' funeral." Roger said, playing the tune again so that Mark could hear it.

"What's it called?" Mark inquired, listening. Roger shrugged his shoulders and sang the song again.

After Roger finished, Mark had tears in his eyes. Roger smiled at his friend.

"I was thinking of calling it Halloween, but Collins didn't die on Halloween." Roger stated. He shook his head and put the guitar down just as tears came to his eyes. Mark hugged his best friend and together, the two men cried.

* * *

A/N: I don't own the lyrics to Halloween or Seasons of Love. Both belong to Jonathon Larson (RIP).

* * *


	6. The Memorial Service

CHAPTER SIX  
(chapter title -The Memorial Service)

"_Will I lose my dignity? Will someone care?  
Will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare?_" Roger sang.

"_Will I lose my dignity? Will someone care?  
Will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare?  
Will I lose my dignity? Will someone care?  
Will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare?  
Will I lose my dignity? Will someone care?  
Will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare?  
Will I lose my dignity? Will someone care?  
Will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare?  
Will I lose my dignity? Will someone care?  
Will I wake tomorrow from this nightmare?_" John, Mark, Hannah, Anna, Joanne, Maureen, Jules and Eileen sang.

It was two months later and it was the day of Collins' memorial service. Collins' family and friends were there - along with Benny, Alison and Jacob. After Roger, John, Mark, Hannah, Anna, Joanne, Maureen, Jules and Eileen finished the song, they went back to their seats in the front pews.

"Thank you for blessing us with that wonderful song." Father Chapman thanked the group, smiling slightly. "I believe we now have a song sung by Mark Cohen. Roger Davis will be playing the guitar." Father Chapman sat back down in his chair as Roger and Mark went to the microphone that was set up in the open space before the pews.

"Hi. This song is called How Did I Get Here and my best friend, Roger, wrote it." Mark spoke into the mike as Roger played the tune. Mark took a deep breath and sang the song.

"_How did we get here?  
How the heck…  
Pan left - close on the steeple of the church  
How did I get here?  
How the heck…  
Summer, a summer's day - last year  
How could a night warm  
Be so freezing cold?  
How could a morning this mild  
Be so raw?  
Why are entire years strewn  
On the cutting room floor of memory  
When single frames from one magic night  
Forever flicker in close-up  
On the 3-D Imax of my mind  
That's poetic, that's pathetic  
Why did Mimi knock on  
Roger's door  
And Collins choose that phone booth  
Back where Angel set up her drums?  
Why did Maureen's equipment break down?  
Why am I the witness?  
And when I capture it on film  
Will it mean that it's the end  
And I'm alone?_" He finished the song and sat back down. He and Roger had changed the word 'hell' to 'heck' that morning. Father Chapman smiled, although he didn't look too thrilled. "Thank you for that…lovely song, Mr. Cohen and Mr. Davis. Would Julie Davis, Hannah Johnson-Jefferson, Anna Johnson-Jefferson, Jacob Coffin, John Cohen, Mark Cohen, Roger Davis and Eileen Collins come forth, please?" Jules, Hannah, Anna, Jacob, John, Mark, Roger and Eileen walked to the open space in front of the pews.

"This song was written by my daughter and I. It's called Love Heals." Roger told the congregation. He heard soft chattering in the congregation as he nodded at the accompanist to play Love Heals.

They finished the song a few minutes later and the congregation clapped politely. Father Chapman was beaming as he signaled for the group to return to their seats.

Two hours later, it was the luncheon following the service. Roger and Jules went down the line of food, deciding what they were going to have for lunch. There were finger sandwiches, a fruit plate, cheese and crackers, some sort of soup and carrots with Swiss cheese wrapped around them.

"Does any of this look good to you?" Roger asked his daughter. She shook her head and took some fruit. Roger smiled and went to sit at the two tables reserved for them. He saw Eileen, John, Hannah and Anna at one and Joanne, Maureen and Mark at the other. He went over to the table where the adults were and sat down next to Mark.

"You're not hungry?" Mark asked, taking a bite of his finger sandwich. Roger played with the small amount of food on his plate and took a small bite of his finger sandwich.

"Hey guys." Jules greeted her friends. John smiled and patted the chair next to him. Jules sat down and took a grape off the stem and ate it.

"What's going to happen to you, Eileen, now that Uncle Collins is gone?" Anna asked, taking a bite of the sandwich Joanne had made for her and Hannah.

"Well, I'm going to go live with Jules and her family, chica." Eileen told her, smiling at Jules. Jules smiled back at her friend.

"Do you even know these people, Eileen - besides the Coffin family?" Hannah asked. Eileen looked around - she recognized some of her dad's students and their families, but other than that, she didn't know anyone.

"There's a few students that my dad tutored, but other than them, I don't know who the other people are." Eileen told her friends, looking down at her plate. She then excused herself and walked out of the room. Jules decided to follow her, staying a good distance behind her friend. Eileen disappeared into the bathroom, so Jules decided to follow her inside. Eileen went to the third stall from the end, so Jules went in the first one. She heard Eileen crying a few minutes later - not soft, gentle sobs, but hard, choked-up sobs. Jules unlocked her stall and went to the one that Eileen was in.

"Eileen, it's me. What's wrong?" Jules inquired. Eileen muttered something in Spanish.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, what?" Jules asked.

"I said, go away. I'll be out in a few." Eileen sobbed. Her sobs touched Jules' heart, but if her friend wanted to be left alone, then she would let her be. Sighing, she made her way out of the bathroom and back to the area where the luncheon was being held.

"Everything okay?" John asked as Jules sat next to him. She nodded and saw that a bowl of broccoli and cheese soup had been placed in front of her. Before she could open her mouth, John told her that her dad had gotten her the soup.

"Figured. He always knew that broccoli and cheese soup was my favorite kind." Jules blew on the soup so that she could take a tiny bite without burning herself.

"Is Eileen gonna be all right?" Anna asked, peeling a banana and eating it.

"I think so. She just needs some space right now." Jules told her just as Roger came up to the table.

"We're going to go to Bella Donna's for dinner tonight and then we're going to go see Ice Age 2: The Meltdown with the Coffin family." Roger informed the kids. At that moment, Eileen came in and sat down next to Anna on one side and Jules on the other.

"You okay, Eileen?" Jules asked. Eileen nodded and brushed the tears away from her face.

"Si, I'm fine." Eileen answered.

"We're going to go to Bella Donna's for dinner tonight and then we're going to go see Ice Age 2: The Meltdown with the Coffin family." Jules repeated the plans for that evening. Eileen just smiled and nodded, lost in thoughts of her father and how humorous, caring and wonderful he had been.

-----------

"That was wonderful. Thanks Uncle Mark, Uncle Roger, Aunt Joanne and Aunt Maureen." Eileen thanked her aunts and uncles. They just smiled and told her she was welcome. The group had just finished their supper at Bella Donna's and they were now walking to the multiplex three blocks away.

"Dad, why did you have to invite Benny and his family? His son is a total jerk wad!" Jules hissed, taking her dad's arm and placing it around her shoulders.

"Julie Hope Davis! Please don't talk like that about the Coffin family! They haven't done anything to you, have they?" Roger asked his daughter, his tone firm. Jules cast her eyes downward until she heard singing coming from behind her. Looking behind her, she heard Joanne, Maureen, Hannah and Anna singing songs from the musical, Wicked. Eileen joined in when the four girls sang What Is This Feeling. Jules smiled and went to walk with the four women. Eileen was walking with Mark and John, who were trailing the group.

----------

The next day, Joanne, Maureen, Mark and Roger helped Eileen get her things from Collins and her loft while Hannah, Anna, John and Jules played outside. Eileen needed to be there, just in case they found something important that had belonged to her father. Sighing, Eileen scooped up a large bundle of clothes and carried them to Jules' room. The two girls would be sharing a room, so Eileen was happy about that.

"Where do you want this guy?" Joanne asked, carrying in a large stuffed horse. It was brown and white with a white blaze down the middle of its face. Eileen smiled as Joanne brought the horse in.

"Rain! I haven't seen her in forever!" Eileen squealed, taking the horse from Joanne and putting it in a corner of the room. Petting its mane, Eileen headed out of Jules' and her room and went back to where the adults were working. Maureen helped Eileen put up some of her posters while Joanne folded and put Eileen's clothes in Jules' closet. Roger and Mark were in Collins and Eileen's old loft, sorting out pictures and old papers.

Jules, John, Hannah and Anna came inside and went to Jules' room. Eileen was there, sitting on the couch, reading. Jules smiled at her and went to sit upon her bed.

"So, what did you, Uncle Mark, Aunt Joanne, Aunt Maureen and my dad do?" Jules asked, flipping on the TV.

"We cleaned the loft." Eileen answered, going back to her book. Jules turned off the TV and went to her CD rack in the corner of the room and put a CD in the CD player. She then went to the middle of the room and danced to the Disney Mania 4 CD. Eileen smiled, put her book down and went to join Jules when the song You'll Be In My Heart came on. Jules sang while Eileen sung back-up vocals.

John, Hannah, Anna, Roger, Mark, Maureen and Joanne were setting the table and preparing dinner.

"John, could you get Eileen and Jules and tell them to come out and help, please?" Roger asked. John nodded and went to Jules' room and knocked on the door.

"_When destiny calls you  
You must be strong  
I may not be with you  
But you've got to hold on  
They'll see in time  
I know_

_We'll show them together  
'Cause you'll be in my heart  
Yes, you'll be in my heart  
From this day on,  
Now and forever more _

_Oh, you'll be in my heart  
No matter what they say  
You'll be in my heart, always  
Always._" Jules sang loudly. Eileen rolled her eyes and opened the door.

"Hey John! What's up?" Eileen inquired, signaling to Jules to turn down the volume on her CD player.

"Uncle Roger says that you two need to come out and help with dinner." John told them. Jules rolled her eyes and stepped out of her room, Eileen right behind her.

"What do you need us to do, Uncle Roger?" Eileen asked, going to the kitchen.

"Do you want to help me with the vegetables?" Joanne asked, getting out various vegetables. Eileen nodded and went to where Joanne was standing. Jules had gone to help John and Mark set the table. Meanwhile Roger, Maureen, Hannah and Anna were pouring drinks, checking on the chicken and making sure everything was okay. After a while, Roger stepped onto the balcony and sat upon a beat-up rocking chair. He was thinking about the day that Jules was born. He had almost lost Mimi that day.

"_Roger." Mimi called him, softly. Roger went over to her and saw that she had a bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. He kissed the top of Mimi's head and looked at the bundle in her arms._

"_Can I get you anything, sweetie?" Roger asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Mimi shook her head and looked at the bundle. "Did we have a boy or a girl?" _

"_Girl. She's beautiful." Mimi answered, handing him the tiny bundle. Roger carefully took the bundle from Mimi and held it in his arms. The baby wailed a bit._

"_Just rock her, she's okay." Mimi told him, smiling. Roger nodded and rocked his daughter in his arms._

"_What's her name?" Roger whispered._

"_Julie Hope Davis - the name we agreed upon." Mimi told him, smiling. Roger leaned forward and handed Julie back to Mimi._

"_Her nickname can be Jules." Roger said, kissing Mimi on the lips. Mimi smiled and kissed him back. _

"_She has your eyes." Mimi told him, pulling away from Roger's kiss. Roger stroked the top of his daughter's head and kissed her forehead._

"_She's gonna be beautiful - just like her mom." Roger whispered, blinking back tears._

"_Rog, baby. I'm okay. It's okay." Mimi soothed, kissing Roger on the cheek._

"Dad? You okay?" Jules asked, stepping onto the porch. Roger nodded and stood up. He walked past Jules and went to see what he could do to help out. Jules sighed and headed back inside.

* * *

A/N: Don't own the lyrics to Will I, Halloween or You'll Be In My Heart. All the songs belong to their respected owners.

* * *


	7. Rush Hour

CHAPTER SEVEN  
(chapter title -Rush Hour)

Jules, Eileen and John were sitting in Jules room during a thunderstorm later that evening. Roger and Mark were sleeping in their rooms, unaware of the storm.

"I've never been so scared in my life." Eileen confessed. She had never liked thunderstorms to begin with.

"It's okay, girl. Here." Jules handed her a miniature Hershey's candy bar and hugged Twiggy closer to her.

"Where in the world did you get that giraffe?" John asked, taking a mini Hershey's candy bar and stuffing it into his mouth. He was sitting on Jules' beanbag chair while the girls sat on the bed. They were in the middle of watching Finding Nemo on Disney Channel.

"My dad gave him to me when I was born." Jules told him, smiling. Eileen went to a corner of the room and got Rain out from her hiding spot.

"Where'd you get _that_?" Jules asked, setting Twiggy down so that she could pet Rain.

"Dad gave it to me for my eleventh birthday." Eileen said, smiling.

"Does it have a name?" John asked.

"Yeah - her name's Rain from the movie Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron." Eileen told them, setting Rain in between her and Jules.

"She's pretty." Jules commented.

"Gracias." Eileen thanked her in Spanish. John smiled and looked out the window - the rain was falling harder outside. Suddenly, there was a flash of lightening and the power went out. Jules and Eileen screamed as the lights went out.

"Everything okay?" John asked.

"Yeah." Eileen answered from somewhere behind him. At that moment, Roger and Mark ran into the room.

"Everything okay?" Roger asked, squinting into the darkness of the room.

"Yes!" Jules, Eileen and John answered in unison.

"Anybody scared?" Mark inquired.

"Why?" Eileen piped up.

"We just want to make sure you're okay." Roger answered just as the lights came back on. Seeing John on the beanbag chair and the girls on the bed, he smiled.

"Lights out in five minutes." Roger and Mark told the kids in unison.

"Okay." The kids responded. Mark and Roger took turns kissing the kids goodnight before heading back to their rooms and going back to sleep. After Roger and Mark left, Eileen got up from the bed and went to the couch. John said goodnight to the girls and went to his room.

"I'm tired." Jules confessed, getting under the covers. Eileen nodded and hugged Rain close to her.

"That horse looks a lot like Oreo, only she's brown and white - not black and white." Jules commented, yawning.

"Yeah, she does." Eileen said, yawning.

"Goodnight, Eileen. Goodnight Rain."

"Goodnight, Jules. Goodnight Twiggy."

Both girls fell asleep two minutes later, listening to the sound of the rain falling outside.

* * *

It was the next morning. Mark and Roger were squished in the tiny kitchen. Roger was making breakfast while Mark made lunches for the kids while John, Jules and Eileen got dressed and ready to go to school. Eileen emerged from her and Jules' room a few minutes later. She was wearing jeans with a tye-dye wrap around skirt and a tye-dye T-shirt. Her mouse-colored hair was pulled into a ponytail and on her feet, she wore white tennis shoes. 

"You look cool, Eileen." Mark commented, handing her a bowl of Captain Crunch cereal. She smiled and ate her cereal just as Jules emerged from the room. She was wearing a floor-length white skirt, a blue shirt and sandals. Roger smiled at his daughter as Mark handed her a bowl of Cheerios.

"I'm coming!" John exclaimed, running out of his room. He was wearing jeans, a red sweatshirt and sneakers. Mark and Roger laughed as he ran to the kitchen. Mark handed him a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch as Roger made coffee for him and Mark.

"I'm done!" Eileen announced, putting her dishes in the sink and ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Roger and Mark exchanged confused looks and shrugged their shoulders.

"We're getting our English project partners today." Jules explained, smiling at her dad and uncle.

"Eileen is hoping to get assigned with Matthew Cassidy." John added, sipping his glass of orange juice.

"Who's Matthew Cassidy?" Mark asked, sipping his coffee.

"He's this really cute, funny, sweet, wonderful guy that Eileen has had a killer crush on since forever. He has brown eyes, spiky brown hair and glasses. He's about the same height as John." Jules explained just as Eileen came out of the bathroom.

"Chica! You promised you wouldn't say anything!" Eileen yelled, grabbing her backpack and heading out the door. Jules put her dishes in the sink and went to brush her teeth and hair.

"It's okay - aunts Maureen and Joanne are driving us today and I know they won't leave without us." John reassured his dad and uncle just as Jules came out of the bathroom and grabbed her backpack. She headed out the door and went to wait in the van for John. Maureen and Joanne smiled as Jules climbed in and sat next to Hannah and Anna. A short while later, John came outside and sat next to Eileen in the back.

"Everyone ready?" Maureen asked from the front seat. Everyone muttered a response and buckled their seatbelts. Joanne put the van in drive and headed for Mount Vernon Junior High and Mount Vernon Elementary Schools. Nobody said a word, not even Hannah and Anna - who were usually talkative.

"Who wants to hear a joke?" Maureen inquired. Nobody said anything.

"Honeybear, probably now isn't a good time." Joanne whispered, looking in the rearview mirror. Maureen sighed and turned on the radio. Diana DeGarmo came on, singing her latest hit - Don't Cry Out Loud.

"_Baby cried the day the circus came to town,  
'Cause she didn't want parades just passing by her.  
So she painted on a smile and took up with some clown,  
While she danced without a net upon the wire.  
I know a lot about her, 'cause you see,  
Baby, is an awful lot like me. _

Don't cry out loud,  
Just keep it inside,  
And learn how to hide your feelings.  
Fly high and proud.  
And if you should fall,  
Remember you almost had it all.

Baby saw that when they pulled that big top down,  
They left behind her dreams among the litter.  
And the different kind of love she thought she'd found,  
There was nothing left but sawdust and some glitter.  
But Baby can't be broken, 'cause you see,  
She had the finest teacher, that was me.  
I told her:

Don't cry out loud,  
Just keep it inside,  
And learn how to hide your feelings.  
Fly high and proud.  
And if you should fall,  
Remember you almost had it all.

Don't cry out loud,  
Just keep it inside,  
And learn how to hide your feelings.  
Fly high and proud.  
And if you should fall,  
Remember you almost made it.

Don't cry out loud,  
Just keep it inside,  
And learn how to hide your feelings.  
Fly high and proud.  
And if you should fall,  
Remember you almost had it all." Maureen sang. Jules, Anna, Joanne and Eileen eventually joined in.

"Moms." Hannah whined.

"What is it, baby?" Joanne asked, turning the volume down a bit.

"I don't feel good." Hannah answered, close to tears.

"Why didn't you say something after we left the house, mini-me?" Maureen inquired.

"Because I just started to not feel good just now." Hannah explained.

"What hurts, baby?" Joanne asked.

"My stomach, my head and my throat." Hannah told her.

"Okay, hold on. We're at the Junior High. After Jules, Eileen and John leave, I'll come back and sit with you, okay?" Maureen said, climbing out of the front seat and sat in back with Hannah while Anna climbed up front.

---------------

"Today." Ms. Hanson started as soon as everyone for her third hour English class was in their seats, "I will be assigning you your English partners for our Around the World project. Together, you and your partner will come up with a country of your choosing and study it - the language, the food, the clothes, the music, etc. You and your partner have eight weeks to work on the project. When the eight weeks is up, we will host an Around the World dinner - inviting your families and friends to sample the dishes you cooked from your country."

"This should be fun." John whispered in Jules' ear. She nodded and looked at everyone in the class.

"Okay, these are the partners - John Cohen and Jules Davis, Eileen Collins and Matthew Cassidy…" Ms. Hanson's voice trailed off as she assigned the rest of the class partners.

"Yes!" John and Jules gave each other high-fives as they exited the class. They had decided to do their Around the World project on Italy. Eileen and Matthew were doing their Around the World project on Ireland. The four of them had agreed to get together after school on Thursday and meet in the library.

"This is gonna be so cool!" Jules squealed as she climbed in Joanne's van after school.

"Totally! You and me working together!" John added, climbing in next to her. Eileen smiled and climbed in between them.

"So, how was school today, guys?" Joanne asked.

"Good - the school musical that we're putting on this year is _Wizard of Oz_. Auditions start next week." John and Jules announced in unison.

"That's wonderful. I'm going to drop you guys off at the loft and then I'm going to go home. Maureen is taking care of Hannah - she has strep throat. Anna's going to come over to the loft, too." Joanne explained as she drove out of the parking lot and headed to the loft.

"Poor Hannah." Jules whispered.

"She'll be okay, chica. Don't worry." Eileen comforted her, smiling slightly.

"But, Eileen. What if she doesn't turn out okay?" John asked, looking out the window.

"John, you gotta have faith - believe." Eileen told him. John rolled his eyes and continued to stare out the window. Jules sighed and looked out her window. They drove the rest of the way to the loft in silence. Joanne got sick of the silence and turned on the radio to a talk show. Other than that, the car was completely quiet.

* * *

A/N: Don't own the lyrics to Don't Cry Out Loud.

* * *


	8. I Should Tell You

CHAPTER EIGHT  
(chapter title -I Should Tell You)

Two weeks later, John and Mark were sitting on the couch. Mark was reading a book while John played a video game. Roger, Jules and Eileen had gone out to get groceries and Maureen, Joanne, Hannah and Anna were out of town.

"John, there's something I have to tell you." Mark started, taking in a deep breath. John put down the game control and looked at his dad.

"What is it, dad?" John asked.

"maureenisntyourrealmomimarriedawomannameddiannesmithandthatsthewomanwhogaveyoulifeshediedshortlyafteryouwerebornofamassivebloodloss." Mark explained in one breath. John raised an eyebrow and went back to his game.

"Jonathon Ethan Cohen! Look at me when I'm trying to tell you something important!" Mark commanded. John dropped the control as if it had burned him.

"What is it your trying to tell me, dad?" John inquired.

"This is going to be hard for you to hear, but please listen anyway. Maureen isn't your real mom. I married a woman named Dianne Smith and that's the woman who gave you life. She died shortly after you were born of a massive blood loss." Mark told him, only slower. John got up from the couch and exited the loft, just as Roger, Jules and Eileen entered, carrying groceries.

"JONATHON ETHAN COHEN! GET YOUR BUTT BACK IN HERE NOW!" Mark yelled down the stairs. It was too late - John was out of earshot. Mark sighed and sat back down on the couch and buried his face in his hands. Roger went over to his friend and sat down next to him.

"We'll go after him." Jules and Eileen volunteered. Roger nodded and continued to sit with Mark. The girls stepped out into the chilly September air and called John's name over and over.

"You go that way and I'll go this way. If you see him, call me on my cell phone. If I see him, I'll call you." Jules told her best friend. Eileen nodded and ran off in one direction when Jules took off in the opposite direction.

"GIRLS!" Roger called, pulling his jacket closer to him. Mark was at the loft, just in case John or the girls called.

"JOHN! JULES! EILEEN!" Roger called again, cupping his hands around his mouth. He heard a noise from behind him and saw The Man with John.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU BASTARD!" Roger yelled, running to The Man and shoving John away from him.

"What the hell are you doing, Uncle Roger?" John asked, angry.

"Out looking for you - so are Jules and Eileen." Roger explained. "Now answer my question - what the hell are you doing with…him?"

"That's my business, punk." The Man growled.

"Leave him alone! He's only a teenager!" Roger growled back. Suddenly, The Man pulled out a knife and ran at Roger. Roger put an arm up to block him, but it was too late. He heard a ripping noise and fell to the ground.

------------

"Oh my God! Is he okay?" a female voice asked.

"He'll be fine - he just needs ten stitches on his forearm. If it weren't for that jacket, I'm sorry to say, your dad would be dead by now." a male's voice answered - it sounded like a doctor's. Roger tried to sit up, but he didn't have the strength. He tried to move his head, but it felt heavy. He was lying on his back, looking up at an extremely bright light. A face leaned over the light and looked at Roger.

"Where the hell am I?" Roger croaked.

"Y-you're at the hospital, dad." Jules' voice sounded.

"What happened?" Roger asked. He heard beeping and buzzing from all directions. As his vision became clearer, he saw that he was lying in a hospital bed - complete with an ugly hospital gown. Jules and Mark were sitting on the bed while John and Eileen sat in chairs on both sides of Roger's bed.

"Somebody wanna tell me what the hell is going on around here?" Roger demanded. Jules looked over at John and then back at Roger.

"You were attacked, Uncle Roger. Don't you remember?" John asked. Roger suddenly got a splitting headache as a nurse injected something into his arm. Jules squeezed Roger's hand until the needle was out. The nurse said something about what she was doing and exited the room. After she left, Mark turned his attention to Roger.

"Rog, you're going to have stitches. It's not a choice." Mark told him.

"What? Why?" Roger stammered, his headache getting worse.

"When - when The Man stabbed you, he ripped your leather jacket and the blade went sideways and…" Mark felt tears roll down his cheeks. Roger looked from one person to the next, not really understanding what was going on.

"Visiting hours are over." A nurse called into the room. Mark sighed and got up so that he could carefully hug Roger. Roger smiled at his family as they left the room - Jules was the last one out. She shut off the light and waited for her dad to fall asleep.

Roger was listening to the overhead music and trying to fall asleep, when he heard voices in his head.

"_Roger." Angel's voice called to him in the darkness. "Honey - listen to me. You have so much to live for, don't give up the fight - no day but today, remember that?" Roger smiled._

"_She's right you know, Rog." Collins' voice sounded. Roger smiled wider. "Continue living your life - don't give up, man. No matter what. La vie Boheme."_

"_Sweetie!" Mimi squealed. Roger felt tears in his eyes. "Baby, listen to us - you have so much to live for - don't give up. Jules and your family need you. Be the best dad you can be - to her and to the other kids - especially Eileen. Both girls need you to be there in their lives. Encourage them to go out for sports, try out for the musical or go out for clubs." _

"_There's only us  
There's only this…  
Forget regret or life is yours to miss  
No other road  
No other way  
No day but today." the voices sang in perfect harmony._

"_I love you guys." Roger told the voices._

"_We love you, too." the voices said in unison. With that, they disappeared._

Roger suddenly sat up in bed to see that a tray of fruit, cereal and a glass of orange juice had been placed in front of him. He shook his head and ate his food, humming and thinking about the voices that he had heard in his head. They told him not to give up and to encourage all the kids to do their best. He missed Collins, Mimi and Angel dearly - knowing that nobody could replace the special people that they had been.


	9. No Day But Today

CHAPTER NINE  
(chapter title-No Day But Today)

"_Somewhere over the rainbow  
Way up high  
There's a land that I heard of  
Once in a lullaby_

_Somewhere over the rainbow  
Skies are blue  
And the dreams that you dare to dream  
Really do come true_

_Someday I'll wish upon a star  
And wake up somewhere where  
The clouds are far behind me  
Where troubles melt like lemon drops  
Way above the chimney tops  
That's where you'll find me_

_Somewhere over the rainbow  
Bluebirds fly  
Birds fly over the rainbow  
Why oh why can't I?  
If happy little bluebirds fly  
Beyond the rainbow  
Why oh why can't I?_" Jules sang, picking up the Yorkshire terrier, Fluffy, and walking off stage. Mark, Maureen, Joanne and Roger applauded loudly from the audience.

"Jules is doing wonderfully!" Joanne whispered in Roger's ear. Roger smiled and nodded. Jules had gotten the part of Dorothy, John had gotten the part of the Tin Man and Eileen had gotten the part of Glinda. Hannah and Anna were Munchkins.

After the play, Jules, John, Eileen, Hannah and Anna were waiting in the open space of the auditorium, smiling for photographs, signing autographs and looking for their parents.

"May I hold Fluffy?" John asked.

"Sure. Be careful, she had surgery two weeks ago." Jules told him, handing the Yorkshire Terrier to him. She instantly began licking his face. John laughed just as Fluffy's owner, Jessica, came up to them. Jessica had gotten the part of the Wicked Witch of the West.

"Here's Fluffy, Jessica." John handed the dog over to her owner. Fluffy whined as she was placed in her owner's arms.

"Thanks for letting her be with me, Jessica." Jules thanked her. Jessica rolled her eyes and walked away.

"There are my girls!" Roger called, walking up to Jules and Eileen and hugging them. He ruffled John's hair and hugged Hannah and Anna. Mark filmed the whole thing, laughing, along with Joanne and Maureen.

"Wanna go to the Life Café?" Maureen inquired, hugging her daughters, nieces and nephew.

"Can we get changed first, Aunt Maureen?" Eileen asked, looking down at her bright pink dress.

"Absolutely!" Maureen said, laughing. Jules, Hannah, Anna and Eileen went to the girls' dressing room while John went to the boys' dressing room. While they changed, the adults talked.

"Ready!" Jules called ten minutes later, walking down the hallway wearing black jeans, a gray t-shirt with the words "Defy Gravity" in green and tennis shoes. Her hair was still in the braided pigtails.

"You look great, sweetie." Roger said as she came closer to where they were standing. She stood against Roger as he placed an arm around her shoulders.

"We're coming!" Hannah and Anna called, running down the hallway. They were wearing matching gray sweatshirts and black jeans. John and Eileen walked behind them. Eileen was wearing a pink shirt with a picture of a white cat and light blue jeans. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and on her feet she wore worn-out gray tennis shoes. John had on a gray baseball jersey, a blue baseball hat, dark blue jeans that were ripped at the knees and white tennis shoes.

"Let's go!" Mark urged, motioning for the kids to hurry up. The kids ran to where the adults and Jules were standing, waiting for them. The kids linked arms and skipped in front of Maureen, Joanne, Roger and Mark.

----------

Later that night, Eileen lay awake on the couch, holding Rain close to her chest. She looked over at Jules - she was on her side, fast asleep. Eileen sighed and got off the couch, tiptoed across the room and quietly opened the door. She quietly walked to the kitchen and started to make hot chocolate when a sleeping figure on the couch caught her eye. She tiptoed over to see who it was. Standing over the figure's face, she saw that it was a man she had never seen before. She walked quietly to Roger's room and shook him awake.

"Eileen. What is it?" Roger asked groggily. His hair was sticking up in all directions, making him look like a lion. He sat up as Eileen took his hand and led him to the couch.

"Excuse me, who're you?" Roger inquired, shaking the figure awake. The man sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Benny! What the hell are you doing here?" Roger asked, pulling Benny off the couch.

"Rog! Chill! Alison and I had a fight, so I came here." Benny explained as Mark, John and Jules came out of their rooms.

"What's going on out here?" Mark asked, putting his glasses on and seeing Benny standing in the loft.

"Close up - Benjamin Coffin III, the ex-roommate and traitor." Roger and Mark growled in unison.

"What the hell is your guys' problem? Alison and I had a fight, so I came back here - just for tonight. I'll be out of here before you know it." Benny reassured Mark and Roger.

"Why did you come back here?" Roger inquired.

"It was the only place I could think of." Benny answered.

"Right." Roger said shortly.

"What the hell is your problem, Roger?" Benny asked. He was starting to get irritated.

"The problem is you - Benjamin. _You're _the one that went off and married a rich girl right when we needed you the most! _You're_ the one who went and built a damn cyber studio when there were thousands of people on the streets, freezing and even starving to death because you kicked them out of their houses for NO DAMN REASON!" Roger shouted and walked to his room and slammed the door. Jules, Eileen and John exchanged glances as Mark and Benny sat down on the couch.

"Why don't you kids go back to bed." Mark said, turning to them. It was the first time all night that one of the adults had talked to them. They nodded and went to their separate rooms - John to the guest room and Jules and Eileen to Jules' room.

"What do you think Uncle Mark's gonna do to Benny?" Jules asked, climbing back into bed.

"I don't know, Jules. I feel sorry for Benny - getting into that fight and all." Eileen commented, going to the couch, laid down and picked up Rain off of the floor. Dusting her off, Eileen put an arm around her middle.

"Hey Eileen - do you want to switch stuffed animals for just tonight?" Jules asked, standing up and walked to the couch. She was carrying Twiggy with her.

"Sure." Eileen smiled and stroked Twiggy's soft fur as Jules handed him to her.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of Rain." Jules reassured her friend, climbing back into bed with Rain.

"Goodnight Jules. Goodnight Rain."

"Goodnight Eileen. Goodnight Twiggy."

The girls fell asleep, clutching each other's stuffed animals close to her.

-----------

The next morning, Jules woke up early and went out to the kitchen/living area to find Mark in the kitchen, cutting up fruit.

"Morning Jules. Want a fruit salad for breakfast?" Mark asked as Jules sat on one of the stools at the kitchen counter. She nodded and watched him work.

"Uncle Mark?"

"Hmm?"

"Where's Benny?"

"Oh, your dad drove him home already."

"Are things gonna be okay between Alison and Benny?"

"I hope so."

"Why does dad hate him so much?"

"He doesn't hate him as much as you think, Jules. He actually used to be our roommate when we were younger - it was Benny, Uncle Collins, Aunt Maureen and I living here between the 1970s and 1990s. After Aunt Maureen and I broke up, and Benny moved out, I met your dad." Mark explained as he pushed a bowl of mixed fruit in front of Jules. She smiled slightly as Eileen entered the kitchen, her hair sticking up in all directions. Mark and Jules laughed as she sat down on the stool next to Jules.

"What are you laughing at?" Eileen asked sleepily.

"Nothing - your hair is just sticking up on end." Mark answered, handing her a bowl of mixed fruit as well.

"Thanks." She took the fruit and ate it.

"Let me ask you girls a question - what are you doing up at six o'clock in the morning?" Mark inquired, going over to the couch. Jules and Eileen followed him, carrying their bowls of fruit.

"I couldn't sleep." Both girls answered in unison. Mark nodded and turned the TV on low. Jules finished her fruit and fell asleep, curled up in a ball. Eileen stayed awake and talked with Mark about everything and nothing.

Eileen and Jules returned to their room and went back to sleep - Eileen on the couch and Jules in her bed.

-----------

Meanwhile, up in heaven, three figures watched the two girls sleep. They were Mimi, Angel and Collins.

"I'm glad that Eileen is in good hands." Collins commented, watching the girls. Angel nodded and stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Collins smiled and looked over his shoulder at her.

"I'm so glad that Roger and Mark took her in when she really needed it." Mimi whispered, tears coming to her eyes.

"Mimi-Chica, are you okay?" Angel asked, going over to her and hugging her.

"I'm fine, Angel. I'm just watching Roger." She pointed to her husband - fast asleep on his back, an arm on his stomach and the other one behind his head. He was also snoring softly. Mimi and Angel quietly giggled at him as Collins walked over.

"What are you two girls giggling at now?" Collins inquired, smiling.

"Just at how funny Roger looks." Mimi answered, looking up at Collins. Her face was covered in tears.

"Aww, Meems. It's okay." Collins comforted her.

"I just miss them so much." Mimi sobbed. Angel came up behind Mimi and rubbed Mimi's back. Mimi rested her head on Angel's shoulder and watched Roger continue to sleep. She laughed when he let out a loud snort and turned over on his stomach.

----------

Back on Earth, Jules, John and Eileen were getting up and ready to go to a friend's house to study when there was a loud knock on the door. Mark went to get it and opened the door. Standing in the doorway was Hannah. She was carrying a brown backpack and was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

"Hannah? What are you doing here?" Mark asked, motioning for her to come in the room. She came in and went to the couch and sat down. Mark sat down next to her.

"I can't stand mom anymore!" Hannah blurted out. Realizing what she had said, she put a hand over her mouth. Mark hugged her close as Roger came into the room, still in his pajamas - an undershirt and boxer shorts - complete with happy, yellow smiley faces on them.

"Which mom?" Mark inquired.

"The one that _I _look like!" Hannah exclaimed, burying her face in Mark's shirt. Mark patted her back and shot Roger an 'I'll explain this later' look. Roger nodded and went back to his room to change just as Jules, Eileen and John came into the room.

"Bye uncle Mark! We're off to Jodie's house." Jules announced, grabbing her frog CD carrying case and backpack. She was just about to head out the door when she turned around and saw Hannah sitting on the couch.

"Hey Hannah. What's wrong?" John asked, sitting down next to her.

"I can't stand my mom anymore! She keeps wanting Anna and I to help her out with her stupid protests. Both of us are sick and tired of it." Hannah explained, looking at her cousins with big brown eyes. John hugged her as Eileen and Jules came back from the kitchen.

"I told Jodie that we were canceling our study date so that we could hang out with our cousin." Jules announced.

"Whoa! Wait a minute, I have to call aunt Maureen and let her know that Hannah is here." Mark said, going to the kitchen and calling Maureen's number.

"Uncle Mark! No! I don't want to go home!" Hannah protested, standing up, crossing her arms over her chest and pouted. Mark sighed and shook his head.

"Hello? Maureen? It's me Mark…I'm fine, thanks. Um, listen Hannah is here and Jules, Eileen, John, Roger and I are going to take her to the movies…yeah, Anna can come. We're gonna see Hoot - the movie about the owls. Um, what time is it now?…we were thinking of seeing the 2:15 showing at the multiplex and then going to the Life for lunch. Yup, I'll have her home by 5. 5:30 at the latest. See ya. Bye." Mark hung up the phone and turned to Hannah, Jules, Eileen and John.

"What'd she say?" Hannah asked.

"She was upset, but I think she calmed down a bit. Joanne's driving Anna over soon and then we're going to see Hoot. After the movie, we're gonna go to the Life for lunch." Mark told the group. The kids smiled at each other just as Roger entered the room.

"What's going on?" Roger asked, sitting on the couch.

"Joanne's dropping Anna off in a bit and then we're going to see Hoot. After the movie, we're going to the Life for lunch." Mark explained. Roger smiled and got up from the couch. Mark followed him to the kitchen.

"Take your AZT, Rog."

"I know, Mark. You don't have to remind me every time." Roger snapped.

Mark sighed and went to the living area and turned on the TV. He always worried about Roger. _I hope Roger isn't the next one to go_ Mark thought to himself. He shook his head and watched TV until everyone was ready.

* * *

A/N - don't own the lyrics to Somewhere Over The Rainbow. belongs to the people (or person) who wrote The Wizard of Oz

* * *


	10. Girls Points of View

CHAPTER TEN  
(chapter title-Girls Points of Views)

---------------------  
MAUREEN'S POV

I can't believe that Hannah would run away like that. I don't know what to do with her - I could lock her in her room - no, because then she would hate me even more. I really don't know what to do. At least she's with Mark and them, so I know she's in good hands. When she comes back at 5, she is so grounded for running away. What is a woman to do with a twelve year old? In two months, she and Anna are gonna be 13, John and Eileen are gonna be 14 and then after them, Jules will be 14. These kids sure do grow up fast.

----------------  
ANNA'S POV

Why would Hannah run out like that? She's my sister, for goodness sake! Why not take me with her. I know why - mom said that she just wanted to be by herself. She has been wanted to be by herself since Uncle Collins passed away. She and Eileen sometimes hang out together, which is fine with Jules and me because the two of us are like sisters. We can share our secrets and not tell anyone about them. I'm glad that I have her for a friend.

--------------------  
HANNAH'S POV

Why can't mom understand that I want to be by myself for a while instead of listening to her dumb protests? It's like - I really don't know how to explain it. I just wish Uncle Collins was still alive. Whenever I would feel sad, he always knew what to do to cheer me up. I loved it when he would tell me about Aunt Angel. I absolutely loved it when he would tell me the story about how they met. I also loved it when he told me stories about Aunt Mimi. Anna and I were eleven when she died. Jules, John and Eileen were twelve. Aunt Mimi was never the same after she had Jules. She was always so weak - I could never understand why. Uncle Roger had said Aunt Mimi was so weak because she had a disease called HIV. I knew that Aunt Angel had died from complications from AIDS. Uncle Collins, Uncle Roger and Aunt Mimi had HIV. I guess life just goes on. Us kids just have to understand that.

---------------  
JULES' POV

Dad and I have formed a really special bond ever since mom died. He's so supportive, sweet, sensitive, a wonderful singer. The list goes on for miles, but I can always say that he has always been there for me - whether it be a school play or whatever. I will always love him, no matter what happens.

------------------  
EILEEN'S POV

Ever since my dad died and both Uncle Roger and Uncle Mark had taken me under their roof, life has been treating me okay. I'm on the soccer team, the school newspaper, tech crew for the winter play and in various clubs - including the Spanish and Drama Clubs. Uncle Roger has told me to stop calling him 'uncle' and start calling him 'dad'. I don't think Jules could be more excited about us becoming sisters - once aunt Joanne helps uncle Roger fill out and complete the adoption papers. I can't wait to be Jules' sister - well adopted sister, but still.

-------------------  
JOANNE'S POV

It's hard being a mom. The girls didn't come with a manual, telling us how to raise them. Maureen was so tired after she gave birth to Hannah, but I was so proud of her. I was holding Anna, who looks exactly like me. After the nurse got Hannah cleaned up, weighed, measured and into a baby sized hospital gown, she handed Hannah to Maureen. Maureen just beamed as I handed Anna to her so that I could go tell Collins, Eileen, Mark, John, Roger, Jules and Mimi that they could visit. Since John, Jules and Eileen weren't old enough to come to visit Anna and Hannah, a woman named Stacy offered to watch them. I led the adults to the room, looking back every so often to see if they were still following me. As soon as we entered the room, I checked to see how Maureen, Anna and Hannah were doing. Everyone fussed over the babies and congratulated Maureen and I. We just smiled as Collins and Roger asked if they could hold Hannah and Anna. I carefully took Anna from Maureen and handed her to Roger while Maureen handed Hannah to Collins. Both men gently talked to the babies as Mark pulled out his camera and filmed them, Maureen and I. I will never forget that day as long as I live.


	11. Guys Points of View

CHAPTER ELEVEN  
(chapter title-Guys Points of Views)

-----------------  
MARK'S POV

Sometimes I worry about Roger - that year when he went through withdrawal and he lost all the people he loved - April, Angel, Mimi and Collins. He was never the same after April died. He went totally angst for a while - keeping to himself, never going out of the loft, completely forgetting to take his AZT. I think he changed when he met Mimi that Christmas Eve in 1989. After she died, he had Jules to look after. Seeing him as a dad, makes both him and me so happy. He's so supportive of Jules and Eileen - no matter what they decide to do with their lives. I film everything that they're in - soccer games, school plays or whatever. I know that their English class is having an Around the World dinner soon, so I'm gonna film that. I want to be there for the kids as much as possible throughout their lives.

----------------  
JOHN'S POV

This is just great - I have feelings for Jules, but I don't know how to tell her without Eileen hearing our conversation. I guess I could write out my feelings down on paper - no, that sounds dumb. I could tell her while we're working on the Around the World thing. We're like siblings - I could never go out with her. I'm just so glad that she doesn't have HIV like Uncle Roger or Aunt Mimi. Dad told me that Uncle Roger has HIV, which is scary if you think about it. If he gets a bad enough cold and doesn't take his AZT, he could die. I can't imagine Jules without her dad. That's a sad thought and I'm not a sad kind of guy - I love skateboarding, playing video games, fooling around with my dad's camera, listening to rap (even though the girls, Uncle Roger and dad don't care for it) and doing your typical guy things. I just hate being the only guy (besides Uncle Roger and dad) in the loft - that'd be cool if I had a little bro sometimes. I like being an only child, even though it sucks big time, but ya gotta take whatever life throws at you.

-----------------  
ROGER'S POV

Life has had its advantages and disadvantages on me. First I lost my first love, April, in May of 1984. Then I met Mimi in December of 1989. I met Angel in December of 1989 and then we lost her on Halloween of 1990. In May of 1992, Mimi and I got married. In June of 1993, Julie Hope Davis was born. In December of 2004, I lost my brother to cancer. A year later, also in December, I lost Mimi due to complications of AIDS. I recently lost my friend for over twenty years, Collins. Why do all the good people have to be taken away from me? I've given up music, even though Jules hasn't. She loves it - I even gave her my old Fender guitar for her birthday this year. She absolutely loves it. As a baby, I would place her on my lap and strum Your Eyes while Mimi slept. She, Jules, was such a good little baby who turned into a wonderful teenager. I love her and I always will, no matter what happens.


	12. Date with Destiny

CHAPTER TWELVE  
(chapter title- Date with Destiny)

A month later, Jules was sitting on the school bus on the way home from school, staring out the window. Both John and Eileen had to stay after for the sports they were doing that spring - John was on the baseball team while Eileen was on the soccer team. Jules had missed the audition dates for the spring musical, so she was bummed about that.

The bus pulled up to its drop off stop - Avenue A and Queens Street. Jules thanked the bus driver and stepped off the bus and walked to the loft. Unlocking and opening the door, she saw her dad sitting on the couch, strumming his guitar and staring into space.

"Hey Jules. How was school?" he asked, setting his guitar down. Jules shrugged and turned on the TV just as Mark came into the room. He was talking on the phone and he looked happy. Jules looked over at Roger, confused.

"Okay, sounds great. Bye." Mark hung up the phone with a smile on his face.

"What's going on, uncle Mark?" Jules asked. Mark whistled and walked to his room. Jules and Roger looked at each other and laughed. He paused in the doorframe and turned around, a huge smile on his face.

"It just so happens that I'm meeting someone for dinner." Mark told them in a sing-songy voice.

"That's wonderful, uncle Mark!" Jules squealed, running up and hugging Mark around the middle. He smiled and hugged her back just as Roger stood up to hug his friend.

"Whose the lucky girl?" Roger asked, hugging Mark.

"Her name is Destiny and she works at Buzz Line with me. I'm meeting her tonight at a jazz café called Stardust's. The Scarsdale School of Performing Arts is performing there. It's the Jazz Singers that are performing tonight." Mark informed them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Have you told John yet?" Jules asked, sitting back down on the couch.

"No, not yet. I really don't know how tell him, exactly." Mark told her. Jules smiled slightly at Mark and went back to watching TV.

"C'mon, I'll help you pick something out to wear tonight." Roger led Mark to his bedroom to help him find something to wear.

--------

An hour later, there was a knock on the door. Mark was in his room, trying on more clothes that Roger had laid out for him. Jules was sitting cross-legged on the couch, watching TV.

"I got it!" Mark called from his bedroom. He was wearing a black blazer, nice black pants and a white dress shirt. On his feet, he wore Roger's old dress shoes.

"Hi! Come on in!" Mark told the person. Jules went to see who was at the door. A woman with shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes hidden behind oval-shaped glasses and pale skin came into the loft. She was wearing a baby blue peasant top, a long flowing baby blue skirt and a pair of baby blue high-heeled shoes. She looked to be in her twenties.

"You guys - this is Destiny Evans - Destiny, this is Jules and Roger." Mark introduced Destiny to Roger and Jules. She smiled at them and took Mark's arm in hers.

"Ready, Mark?" she purred.

"Yeah." he told her. Turning to Jules and Roger, he added, "there's chicken and Chinese food in the fridge. If John asks where I am, just say I'm out filming." with that, he took Destiny's hand and they walked out the door. Roger felt his mouth drop open. Why would Mark not tell John he was going on a date? If he was going on a date with someone, he would certainly tell Jules whom he was going out with and what time he would be back.

----------

Fifteen minutes after Mark and Destiny left, John and Eileen came into the loft.

"Hey Uncle Roger. Hey Jules. Where's dad?" John inquired, looking around the loft.

"He's out filming. He'll be back, though." Roger told him. _God, I hate lying to him._

"So, how's my Julie-chica doing?" Eileen asked, going to the fridge and getting out a bottle of water. She drank half of it in two huge gulps.

"I'm fine. I've just been hanging out with dad." Jules smiled at Roger.

"After we get cleaned up, wanna watch a movie?" John asked. Jules nodded and went to sit on the couch with Roger while John and Eileen went to shower and change. Roger smiled at his daughter and put an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him and looked up at her dad's sweet face.

"I love you." he whispered.

"I love you, too." she whispered back. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her shoulders. _I wonder what Mark and Destiny are doing right now _Roger thought to himself. He could tell that Jules was thinking the same thing.

----------------

"So…" Mark started. _I am such a loser, starting a sentence off with 'so' _he thought.

"So…" Destiny purred. They were sitting at a booth in a jazz café called Stardust's. They had just finished their dinner and now they were listening to the jazz-singing students from Scarsdale School of Performing Arts.

"You having fun?" Mark inquired. Destiny nodded and took another sip of her water.

"Do you have any kids, M'sieur Cohen?" Destiny asked in a very sexy voice.

"Yeah - a son, John. What about you?"

"A daughter - Caitlyn. She'll be two this month." Mark felt his jaw drop.

"What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You're so young! There's no way that you have a kid."

"I do - she's from my first marriage. My ex-husband, Pierre, left me for my receptionist. That was way before I worked for Buzz Line." Destiny explained. Mark took one of her hands in his and gently squeezed it. She smiled and pointed to the next jazz singer. They watched the rest of the jazz singers in silence.

---------------

"Uncle Roger - it's getting dark. Are you sure my dad's out filming?" John asked in a concerned voice. Roger sighed and went to the window where John was standing by. Eileen and Jules were watching High School Musical on Disney Channel.

"Yeah - he should be home soon, John. Don't worry." Roger reassured him. John sighed and went to sit back down with Jules and Eileen.

----------------

Half an hour later, Mark and Destiny entered the loft to find it dark and empty. They walked quietly to Mark's room and went about their business.

---------------

Jules yawned and came out of her room to get some water when she heard giggling coming from Mark's room. She looked around curiously before approaching the room. This time, it wasn't giggling she heard, it sounded like a woman moaning and in pain.

"Uncle Mark is everything okay…Oh, sorry!" Jules covered her eyes when she saw Destiny and Mark in bed - Mark on top of Destiny. Both were completely naked.

"It's okay, Jules. We're fine here." Mark reassured her. Destiny smiled and wrapped her arms around Mark's neck and kissed him. Jules went back to her room and went back to sleep - images of Mark and Destiny in her head. Shaking her head to get rid of the images, she turned over on her side facing the door and went back to sleep.

* * *

Destiny woke up the next morning to find Mark not lying in the bed with her. Shivering, she pulled the blankets closer to her and went back to sleep. A few minutes later, she heard someone come into the room and sit down at the edge of the bed.

"Wake up Sleeping Beauty." Mark whispered, rubbing a hand up and down her back. Destiny moaned and pulled the blankets closer to her. Mark smiled and continued to rub a hand up and down her back.

"We're going out to breakfast. Wanna come?" Mark asked a few minutes later. Destiny nodded sleepily and got out of bed.

"I'll meet you in the kitchen, okay?" he said.

"Okay." she croaked. Gathering up the clothes she wore last night, she headed to the bathroom to take a shower. She sang songs from various musicals as she washed herself.

--------------

"I'm hungry! Can we leave now?" John asked impatiently.

"No! We need to wait for…um…Roger." Mark told him, just as Roger poked his head out of his bedroom door.

"I'm ready. Let's go." Roger said, walking out of his bedroom just as Destiny walked out of Mark's room. John looked from Destiny to Mark and back to Destiny.

"John, before we go anywhere, listen to what I have to say." Mark started, leading John to the couch. Destiny followed, but didn't sit down.

"John, this is Destiny Evans - the woman I told you about that I'm working with. Destiny, this is John." Mark introduced his son to Destiny. Destiny smiled and shook John's hand. John just glared at her as Jules, Eileen and Roger came into the living area.

"Are you trying to replace my mom?" John asked Destiny. Destiny shot a confused look at Mark.

"She's not, John. Your mom died when you were a baby - we made up that story about your aunt Maureen being your mom because I thought it would scare you." Mark told him, placing a hand on John's shoulder.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me that aunt Maureen wasn't my mom in the first place?" John asked. He was getting angry.

"I thought I did, John. Remember? That was the night that Roger got stabbed." Mark said, looking at his best friend.

"I remember that but why didn't you tell me earlier?" John inquired. Mark sighed and shook his head just as Roger cleared his throat.

"What your dad is trying to say, John, is that we didn't know how to explain why you didn't have a mom when you were growing up. What where we supposed to say? Maybe something like "the reason why you don't have a mommy, John, is because she died when you were born."" Roger told him, trying to keep his voice as soft and calm as possible.

"I can't live in this loft! It's full of liars and I can't be surrounded by liars." With that, John got up from the couch and ran out the door, not bothering to take his jacket with him.

"I should really get going. I left Caitlyn with the nanny. It was nice to meet you all." Destiny got up from the couch, went to get her coat and blew a kiss to Mark before heading out the door. Roger saw a pleading look in Mark's eyes as Destiny slid the door closed and headed down the stairs.

"I can't believe this is happening - again." Mark said, burying his face in his hands. Roger gently patted Mark's back as Jules and Eileen got their cell phones and put on their shoes.

"We'll go look for them. Dad, see if you can call Benny to see if he, Alison and Jacob can help out. Uncle Mark, call aunts Maureen and Joanne to see if they can help out, too." Jules said, grabbing her coat and heading outside, Eileen right behind her.


	13. No Way Out

CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
(chapter title- No Way Out)

"JOHN!" Eileen and Jules called. They had been looking for John for at least two hours and there was no sign of him. Joanne, Maureen and Anna were searching the West End of town while Benny and Alison searched Greenwich Village. Jacob and Roger were searching Central Park and the area surrounding it. Mark and Hannah were at the loft, waiting by the phone just in case if anybody called with information about John.

"Eileen!" a faint voice called from somewhere behind her. Eileen turned around and went down an alley. She walked about two feet when she saw a figure pressed against a wall. She broke into a run and ran to where the person was. She gasped in horror when she got closer to the person - it was John.

"JULES!" Eileen called. She went to John's side and sat down next to him. His right foot was pinned between the dumpster and the wall behind him.

"Oh my God! John!" Jules whispered ten minutes later. She whipped out her cell phone and dialed the loft. She talked to Mark to let him know where they were and to send the others.

"How's John?" Mark asked. Jules looked over at her friend - he was shivering and there was blood on his hands and knees.

"He has a few cuts, but I'm sure he'll be okay." Jules answered. She heard Mark let out a sigh of relief.

"I'll have your dad, Benny, Alison and Jacob come to where you guys are. What's your location?" Mark inquired.

"Um, the alleyway behind Emil's Deli on North Queens Street." Jules said, not taking her eyes off of John.

"I'm sending them there now." With that, Mark hung up the phone just as Jules' hung hers up. She kept it on just in case her dad or somebody called. She went to sit with Eileen and John. As they waited for someone to come, Jules sung a song from her choir class called Arms of the Angel. She was going to perform it for what would have been Angel's birthday in a couple weeks. She never knew or got to know Angel, but from what Collins had told the kids about her, she seemed like an Angel after all.

"_Spend all your time waiting for that second chance  
For the break that will make it ok  
There's always some reason to feel not good enough  
And it's hard at the end of the day  
I need some distraction or a beautiful release  
Memories seep from my veins  
Let me be empty and weightless and maybe  
I'll find some peace tonight _

In the arms of an Angel far away from here  
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here

So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn  
There's vultures and thieves at your back  
The storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lies  
That you make up for all that you lack  
It don't make no difference, escaping one last time  
It's easier to believe  
In this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness  
That brings me to my knees

In the arms of an Angel far away from here  
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie  
In the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here

You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here" As she finished the song, Roger, Benny, Jacob and Alison came running towards them.

"John, are you okay?" Roger asked, kneeling down and looking at John.

"No - my leg's pinned and I think it's broken." John answered, tears coming to his eyes. Jules hugged him tightly and told him it would be okay.

"Jules and Eileen, go stand with Alison." Roger demanded. Jules and Eileen went to where Alison was standing without a protest. Together, Benny, Roger and Jacob pushed the dumpster away from John so that he could get out easily.

"One, two three push!" Roger grunted. Alison, Jules and Eileen had tears streaming down their cheeks. Benny, Roger and Jacob pushed with all their might. Alison hugged the two girls close as a light rain began to fall. Jules turned her head away and buried her face in Alison's very expensive blouse, but she didn't seem to care. She was watching Roger, Benny and Jacob struggle to get John out from behind the dumpster. Eileen had gone to call Mark to let him know what was happening with John.

Ten minutes later, John was out. Everyone took their turn hugging him while Mark called 911. The ambulance arrived exactly ten minutes later, which Mark was so happy about. Mark climbed in with John in the back of the ambulance, holding John's hand. John smiled weakly at his dad as the ambulance doors closed and they zoomed off into the rain.

* * *

A/N - don't own the lyrics to Arms of the Angel.

* * *


	14. Angel's Voice Is In My Ear

CHAPTER FOURTEEN  
(chapter title - Angel's Voice Is In My Ear)

John awoke at the hospital several hours later. He heard his dad snoring away in the hospital chair right next to John's bed. He looked straight ahead to see that his leg was in a cast and was in a hanging sling. He also saw Roger, Benny, Alison and Joanne sleeping in chairs around the room. Moaning, John went back to sleep, wanting answers as to why he was there - he couldn't remember why he was there in the first place.

_John was asleep when he heard a voice calling to him. Looking around, he saw a man wearing a black shoulder-length wig, a white skirt with a pattern of flowers on it, snakeskin patterned leggings, black platform shoes and a red jacket._

"_Angel?" John asked. The man nodded and smiled at him._

"_Don't be frightened, sweetie. It's your aunt Angel telling you everything's going to be okay." Angel's voice was like honey - very sweet._

"_Where are Aunt Mimi and Uncle Collins?" John inquired._

"_They're fine - it's early and I just came down to talk to you. I want you to know that I'm always going to be here for you, your dad - everyone. There's nothing to be afraid of, John. Just live your life in love and remember the saying - no day but today." and with that, the beautiful drag queen was gone._

John suddenly sat up in bed to see pale sunlight streaming in through the window. Roger, Joanne, Benny and Alison were gone - probably left to go home and get some sleep. Mark, however, was still snoring away in the chair next to John's bed. Mark then yawned, stretched and looked over at John.

"Hey you're awake." Mark croaked. John nodded and looked around the room.

"Where did Angel go?" John asked. Mark looked at his son, confused and tired.

"What are you talking about John?" Mark inquired, sleepily.

"She was standing right over there -" John pointed to the chair where Roger had been sitting.

"Angel's dead, John. You know that." Mark told his son firmly. John slouched down in bed and muttered something just as Roger, Maureen, Benny and Alison returned - carrying plates of food for both John and Mark.

"Thanks guys." Mark thanked his friends. Roger smiled and sat back down in the chair in which he had been sitting. Taking a big bite of his muffin, he smiled at John. John smiled and poked at his scrambled eggs.

"I suppose you want to know why you're here, John." Mark started. He looked at Roger, Benny, Alison and Joanne before returning his gaze to John.

"Yeah. What the hell happened to me?" John asked, sitting up a bit.

"Well, remember Destiny was at the loft and you asked if she was going to be replacing your mom?" Mark asked. John nodded - he could remember that part, but not the rest of it. Mark cleared his throat before continuing on.

"After that, you got mad, ran out of the loft and somehow got your leg stuck between a dumpster and the wall behind it." Mark explained. John looked at his aunts and uncles - all of their expressions were unreadable.

"Jules and Eileen were the ones that found you." Roger informed John.

"Where are they now?" John asked, looking around for his friends.

"They're at school, sweetie - along with Hannah and Anna." Joanne told him. John smiled slightly and sighed. Benny walked over to John and gently squeezed his hand. John looked up at Benny for a while - he couldn't understand why Jacob was such a jerk while both of his parents seemed like such sweet and wonderful people.

"From now on, you call me 'Uncle Benny' and Alison 'Aunt Alison', okay?" Benny told him, smiling slightly.

"Of course I will, Uncle Benny." John said. Benny smiled and walked back over to where Alison was standing and put an arm around her waist.

"When can I come home?" John asked after a while.

"You probably can come home tomorrow." Mark said, rubbing his temples.

"Oh. Okay." John smiled at his dad, made himself comfortable under the blankets and fell asleep. Roger, Joanne, Benny and Alison had gone to work - Roger was now working part-time at the Life Café. Joanne was working long hours - from 4 in the morning to about 3 in the afternoon. Benny was a building developer for Mr. Grey and Alison was a stay-at-home mom.

------------

The next day, John had gotten the okay to come back to the loft - just as long as he stays off of his broken leg. John smiled as Roger pulled his car up to the hospital parking lot where John and Mark were standing. John was leaning on a pair of silver crutches and Mark was standing right next to him, a hand on John's back for support. Together, Mark and Roger got John into the car and drove him home.

They arrived at the loft fifteen minutes later. Roger retrieved John's bags out of the trunk while Mark carefully helped John out of the car.

"JOHN! YAY YOU'RE HOME!" Jules shouted from the balcony. Eileen laughed and said something in Spanish. Jules stuck her tongue out at her friend as she ran off the balcony and down the fire escape stairs. John smiled as Jules ran over to him.

"Hey Jules." He greeted his friend, pulling her into a one-armed hug. They talked at a mile a minute as Mark helped John up the stairs to the loft. Roger smiled and rolled his eyes - he knew that his daughter could be a chatterbox sometimes.

"Honey, why don't we let John get settled and then you can talk to him, okay?" Roger told her, smiling at his daughter. She nodded and helped John get comfortable on the couch just as Joanne brought out a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies - John's favorite.

"Thanks everyone." John said, getting comfortable on the couch. He could tell everyone was happy to have him home - he was happy to be in the loft where he was surrounded by people who loved him.


	15. The End of the Season

CHAPTER FIFTEEN  
(chapter title - The End of the Season)

"May 24th, 2012 One thirty PM Eastern/Standard Time. Zoom in on Julie Hope Davis, Eileen Sonya Collins, Jonathon Ethan Cohen and Jacob Edmund Coffin graduating from Mount Vernon High School." Mark narrated into his camera. As each Bohemian high school graduate received their diploma, Mark really zoomed in on them. Jacob had transferred to Mount Vernon High School in his junior year.

"Mark! Cut it out!" Joanne laughed, trying to get the camera out of Mark's grasp. Hannah and Anna laughed as Joanne and Mark fought over the camera. Roger rolled his eyes at Mark and Joanne's behavior and watched the graduates sit back down in their assigned seats.

"Our babies have spread their wings and…" Maureen's voice cracked and she started bawling. Joanne smiled and calmed Maureen down.

"Jules, John and Eileen are going to Michigan State University and Jacob is going to UCLA. It seems like yesterday that we were waking up at three in the morning to feed them." Joanne said, her voice sad.

"They'll be coming home for holidays, spring break and summer." Hannah pointed out as Pomp and Circumstance played. The graduates rose and filed out of the auditorium. The Bohemian parents couldn't have been happier for their children - or young adults as they were now called.

------------

Destiny and Mark were married in the summer of 2012 - surrounded by their friends and family. John was so excited to have a step-mom and a step-sister who really cared about him.

------------

Joanne took a case to court in the fall of 2012. She won the case, which everyone was so happy about. To add to the surprises, Maureen was pregnant - again, which meant a new little boy or girl to take care of.

------------

Hannah and Anna graduated in the spring of 2013. They had been accepted at the University of Michigan and are planning on living in the dorms on campus.

------------

Roger has gotten his love for music back and is never seen without his guitar. He's performed at the Life Café, Kennedy Club and a nightclub called Paradise with his band, MUTE.

-----------

Maureen was on Broadway touring with the cast and crew of Chicago! until she found out she's pregnant. Now she's staying in New York to raise her baby.

---------

Benny, Alison, Jacob and Kori - the newest edition of the Coffin family currently moved to California where Jacob will be attending UCLA. The Bohemians write to the Coffin family every chance that they get. Oh, Jacob has stopped being a total jerk wad and has started caring about other people, especially his little sister, Kori.

----------

Angel, Mimi and Collins continue to watch their family from heaven, as always. The three of them are so impressed as to how the young adults have grown over the years. They know that in college, the young adults will have new challenges, but those can be easily overcome if they live their lives one day at a time.


End file.
